Nature Cure Clinical Pearls  JARED L. ZEFF, ND, VNMI, LAC  The following is not an article prepared for a medical journal. Not every statement of fact is cited or referenced. This is a commentary on the medicine, a running set of observations about practice in the field. It’s not meant to be a peer-reviewed presentation; rather, these are notes and thoughts from a practicing naturopathic physician, a primary care doc in general practice.  A Trio of Difficult Diseases  Not long ago I had a new patient present with a very complex case of coccidioidomycosis, commonly known as ..read more

Complex Chronic Disease Saved by a Genetic Hormone Profile  WINNIE SIU, ND  As clinicians, we often come across complex and challenging cases. Many of our patients have been diagnosed with complex chronic conditions such as mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), and fibromyalgia (FM). The Statistics Canada 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey found that 1.2 million Canadians, or 5% of those aged 12 or older, reported having been diagnosed with at least CFS, MCS, or FM.1These patients usually have been sick for sever ..read more

JAMES SENSENIG, ND  JARED ZEFF, ND, VNMI, LAC  This column is transcribed from a weekly live conversation produced by the Naturopathic Medical Institute (NMI). The goal of NMI is to preserve and promote the principles of naturopathic philosophy through clinical application, in your offices and in your communities, every day. This lightly edited transcript (by Judith Boice, ND, LAc, FABNO) is the second part of a 3-part conversation hosted by James Sensenig, ND, featuring Jared Zeff, ND, VNMI, LAc. It took place on October 18, 2017.  Dr Carroll’s Botanical Formulations  Dr Z ..read more

What are the Nerves Trying to Communicate?  CHRIS D. MELETIS, ND  About 7-10% of the population suffers from neuropathic pain and doctors are often unable to effectively and completely treat this condition.1 Often, this is because we try to address the problem after the fact rather than taking a proactive approach. Neurons are the longest-living cells in the body. Thus, much like an old-growth forest, it seems that conservation should be at the forefront of our clinical minds, ideally before there is a symptomatic presentation whenever possible.  Addressing the whole body will a ..read more

The Cold Truth About Ice & Inflammation  SIERRA GONCHAROFF, ND  The use of ice for acute musculoskeletal injuries has been popular for decades since Gabe Mirkin, MD coined the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol in 1978 in his best-selling The Sports Medicine Book.1 For decades, this protocol has been thoroughly indoctrinated into the healthcare system, despite a lack of adequate research to support its efficacy. In recent years, health practitioners have started questioning the RICE protocol. Recent research indicates that using ice for acute injury may delay heali ..read more

Applying Network Pharmacology to Pharmaceuticals & Botanical Medicine  JAKE FELICE, ND, LMP  New advances in our understanding of network pharmacology now support the wisdom of plant medicine and botanical synergy. This understanding of synergy and its mechanisms highlights the importance that traditional medicines can have in the health and well-being of humans in the modern world.  Biologic systems encompass a complex web of coordination between metabolic pathways. These include protein-protein interactions, genetic interactions, gene and transcriptional regulation, and ce ..read more

The Benefits of Acupuncture and Low-Level Laser Therapy SHAWN M. CARNEY, ND Naturopathic physicians are often sought out by patients frustrated with the superficial quality of care they receive from some conventional medical doctors; those seeking pain relief are no exception. Perhaps even more discouraging to patients are the well-known side effects to pain management treatments. These may include gastrointestinal bleeding,1 hepatotoxicity,2 immunosuppression,3 osteoporosis,3 and even addiction,4 depending on the type of pain being treated and type of medication used. Steroids, for example, h ..read more

Unique Treatment for Musculoskeletal & Smooth Muscle Pain  BILL CARADONNA, RPH, ND  Like many other doctors, I have had patients with musculoskeletal pain come to my office after having tried all manner of allopathic and other natural medicine treatment modalities with only limited or no success. And unfortunately, I too didn’t have success in treating them – at first. I had heard in passing of homeopathic injections but had no exposure to this practice. I was not interested or focused on medical procedures in my practice and had no special physical medicine equipment. What I did ..read more

Applying Polyvagal Theory to Treat a Traumatized Patient JENNIFER BRUSEWITZ, ND  ELIZABETH HOLLOWAY, ND  The polyvagal theory, introduced by Stephen Porges, PhD, in 1995, explains how human adaptive responses are modulated through the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This theory challenges the conventional theory, which describes the ANS as a functionally antagonistic system with sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) modes, by proposing a third functional branch.1 The parasympathetic nervous system, predominantly mediated by the vagus nerve, subdivide ..read more

Consumer demand for immune health products is at an all-time high, and projected to continue for years to come. A strong immune system is critical for good health. Consumers are focused on proactively managing their health with a host of natural products and ingredients. Recently, science has shown that an emerging class of ingredients known as postbiotics are comparable to probiotics with several health benefits. A key difference though is that postbiotics are often more stable and convenient to include in consumer products. There’s no need to care for their viability, they are generally stab ..read more